President Michael D Higgins was called a "midget parasite", a "sell-out" and a "traitor" by anti-water protesters after he visited a school in Dublin last week.
A video of the protest, posted on YouTube, shows the President's car being surrounded by protesters as it leaves Coláiste Eoin in Finglas last Thursday.
The President’s car and the car of his Garda security detail were protected by a large number of gardaí, including two Inspectors.
As the President’s car exited Coláiste Eoin, protestors followed the car hurling insults at Mr Higgins.
On the video’s sound track, shouted insults of “you little midget parasite”, “fucking scumbag”, “you sell-out parasite” and “you traitor” are clearly audible.
It not is the first time that the President has been subjected to abuse from hostile protesters.
Last July, Mr Higgins was heckled and called a “traitor” by demonstrators who objected to the presence of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, at the dedication of the Cross of Sacrifice commemorating first World War dead at Glasnevin Cemetery.
Bill signed
The basis of last week’s protest was that Mr Higgins signed the Water Services into law without referring it to the Council of State to determine its constitutionality.
The protest was organised by local anti-water charges protestors including Edenmore Says No, on whose website the video was posted. Its Facebook page had called on people to protest against the President.
No comment
A spokesman for the President said he had no comment to make on the matter.
After the departure of President Higgins, there were verbal altercations and some jostling between the protestors and the gardaí that lasted for about five or six minutes. Towards the end of the video a Garda Inspector tells the crowd to leave the area as the protest is over. He also tells the man recording it on video that he has been “a large part of the trouble here today”.
The protestor says he has not done anything but video and also replies he will go home when he is good and ready.
